I'll tell the exact story about Dan "THE SAVAGE" Green, We were in Sac town and Stan and I walked in and Mark and Dan were already pulling with kilo plates, so Stan and I set up in the corner where we normally pull. Stan and I kept going up, so Dan would go up, long story short he got to 815 tryed pulling it got it 95% up and then dropped it. He took about a 7-10 min. break and came back and SMOKED IT !!!!!! The following week or week after Stan and I went back to Sac town to squat with Dan and he shows me this pic on his phone, the picture is his whole hamstring black and purple from knee to glute !!!! I said "What's that ??" he said "I tore it on the first attempt, so I knew i couldn't hurt it any worse...." The guy has no FEAR in him at all, which is why he'll be at the top for awhile !!!!!

I'll tell the exact story about Dan "THE SAVAGE" Green, We were in Sac town and Stan and I walked in and Mark and Dan were already pulling with kilo plates, so Stan and I set up in the corner where we normally pull. Stan and I kept going up, so Dan would go up, long story short he got to 815 tryed pulling it got it 95% up and then dropped it. He took about a 7-10 min. break and came back and SMOKED IT !!!!!! The following week or week after Stan and I went back to Sac town to squat with Dan and he shows me this pic on his phone, the picture is his whole hamstring black and purple from knee to glute !!!! I said "What's that ??" he said "I tore it on the first attempt, so I knew i couldn't hurt it any worse...." The guy has no FEAR in him at all, which is why he'll be at the top for awhile !!!!!

Holy crap! I have a whole new level of respect for Dan Green now that is crazy

I'll tell the exact story about Dan "THE SAVAGE" Green, We were in Sac town and Stan and I walked in and Mark and Dan were already pulling with kilo plates, so Stan and I set up in the corner where we normally pull. Stan and I kept going up, so Dan would go up, long story short he got to 815 tryed pulling it got it 95% up and then dropped it. He took about a 7-10 min. break and came back and SMOKED IT !!!!!! The following week or week after Stan and I went back to Sac town to squat with Dan and he shows me this pic on his phone, the picture is his whole hamstring black and purple from knee to glute !!!! I said "What's that ??" he said "I tore it on the first attempt, so I knew i couldn't hurt it any worse...." The guy has no FEAR in him at all, which is why he'll be at the top for awhile !!!!!

2) Is overhead press an important part of bench training or can you make good without it?

3) Describe your tricep assistance training.

4) How significant is tricep training?

Also, thanks for taking time to help us out.

This gratitude i feel when i look in the mirror and see the gains, its so real i don't talk about it. I joke around about lifting culture, but deep down i love it. I love the strength aspect. I love the aesthetics aspect. A strong body and heavy barbell, that's how i live. I've been blessed with the opportunity to experience gains. I was given everything i need to develop thick back straps, gluts and quads.

2) Is overhead press an important part of bench training or can you make good without it?

3) Describe your tricep assistance training.

4) How significant is tricep training?

Also, thanks for taking time to help us out.

My best with seated ovehead press is 315x15 405x4 500x1. My best Standing strict is 365x3 that is really strict no bounce with legs and feet close.

Overhead press is the best direct shoulder exercise, so I would say yes it is a very important part of bench strength. That being said if your a 405 bencher and you can overhead press 315 getting stronger in overhead press is probably not going to have to much carry over to your bench. If your a 405 bencher with a 185 overhead press than that movement is going to have a tremendous direct increase to your bench. Either way overhead press should be a staple in any benchers routine, but based on how strong you are at the movement compared to your bench would be how much time you would concentrate on it.

One of the best tricep movement for bench strength is skull crushers, the problem with them is a good percentage of lifters are unable to do them because of elbow issues. If your able to do them then they should definitely be a part of tricep assistance work. If your like me and can't do skull crushers JM press would be the closest way to emulate the skull crusher movement. Close grip benches of any type are the meat and potatoes of any tricep building day, I think close grip to a 3 board works the best. It takes some of the chest out of the movement and hits the triceps hard at the spot where the triceps are really starting to engage. Dips would be another great exercise that will also hit your chest and shoulders.

Triceps training is extremely important, it is the most significant muscle when it comes to a big bench.

Originally Posted by mallow

From videos i have seen that you do lot of reps without full lock out. Why is that useful?

I Lock out every single and double. I usually lock out my triples but sometimes I do them tension style too. Everything over 3 I only lock out last rep. Just like Creed and Zac said I like to keep the tension plus its way to much wear and tear on my elbows locking out multiple reps. Now if I am doing close grip board presses and I do 5 reps I am going to lock out every rep because that is the part of the movement I am focusing on with that exercise. I have noticed I get better strength out of the hole training this way than any other way.

637/390tng/615 - belt/wraps, best gym lifts.
600/370/600 - best competition lifts.
575/330/560 - best competition lifts at 181 raw.
"I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." - 1 Cor 9:27

Las Vegas leviathan Eric Spoto stands among the greatest bench pressers of all time and throughout history. Currently ranked as the #1 raw bencher in the world, with a jaw-dropping 700 lb competition bench, Spoto is bringing his mammoth pressing power to his lifting debut at The Cage. When asked what it felt like to be invited to display his awesome strength within these hallowed chain-link confines, Eric responded with passion,

“Some of the craziest lifts I have ever seen have been in The Cage. I can't wait for the opportunity to have one of those lifts. The Cage is a rite of passage on the journey to becoming an elite lifter.”

If you are a fan of powerlifting, this is one event you won't want to miss.

The Cage looks like it's going to be really sick this year. Norris and Spoto have balls--it's one thing to rep out an absurd weight, but to attempt a near 1RM lift is a little more gutsy IMO.

637/390tng/615 - belt/wraps, best gym lifts.
600/370/600 - best competition lifts.
575/330/560 - best competition lifts at 181 raw.
"I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." - 1 Cor 9:27

Newbie

Originally Posted by bulldogs702

Hey guys thought I might help anyone looking for lifting advice, if you have any questions just post them here and at least once a week I'll log on and answer any questions that you might have. Once again thanks to all the support from everyone!! It really means a lot.

I'm just curious I'm thinking of getting into powerlifting and was wandering if its worth it with my current strength , bench 330 , squat 400, an deadlift 455 i am 193 pounds and 29 years old

I don't really have any questions but I just want to say thanks to Creed and Eric for this thread! You guys have provided me with some great motivation to get stronger! Can't wait to see Eric bust mendelson's record!!

2. Do you subscribe to the general theory that one needs to pull near what they push to be a better presser?

Thanks Sean, Now I am not sure if your asking as just a Bench only guy or a full power guy. If your a full power guy than Dead lift will of course be a major part in your program, if your a bench only guy it should be a part of your routine but I don't think its the most important. To increase your bench you want to simulate the bench press to the T your exact body position as you would bench the only difference is you pull instead of push. My favorite movement is chest supported Hammer Strength row. I am able to get in my exact bench position and get a similar grip to my close grip. While I do each rep I try to simulate the negative on the bench. A t bar row with a wide grip bar can work pretty good too but I have had best results with the Hammer. You can throw in some pull ups and maybe some single dumbbell rows that should be enough angles to fry your back.

I think you need good row/pull strength to maximize your bench press potential but as far as dead lifts I see very little carry over to the bench. I mean look at some of the best benchers in the world. Scot,Gene,Ryan,Wilkerson,Al Davis none of them are known as great dead lifters and all are pressing machines. It will help overall strength but it is such a sap on your CNS that if your training bench twice a week it is going to effect at least one of your workouts.

Originally Posted by venom93

Many thanks for answering my questions. Honestly in what other sport could an average get advice from an elite athlete.

I have two more, not related to lifting.

What do you make of the scrubs on your videos just saying "steroids" or whatver?

Does being relatively more famous have any positve or negative impact on your life(do random people recognize you, or anything like that)?

No Problem Venom I love talking lifting, There will always be that group of insecure people who need to rationalize why they cant do something.

Powerlifting is such a cult sport that outside of a gym I have been recognized maybe a hand full of times.

Originally Posted by Crooktele79

I don't really have any questions but I just want to say thanks to Creed and Eric for this thread! You guys have provided me with some great motivation to get stronger! Can't wait to see Eric bust mendelson's record!!

Thanks Crooktele, I really appreciate hearing that it gives you motivation to get stronger.

Originally Posted by BigLarge

What day are you guys gonna be at the Arnold? Just Saturday?

I think we are gonna be there all 3 days, I am lifting just one day and Stan is lifting one day.

Good on ya Eric, you're a champion mate. You'll take that raw record soon enough, people are always going to talk **** and try to discredit something they can't do but there are twice as many people that believe in you.
You don't get that much exposure here in Australia, but let me tell you, some people are watching your videos over and over every single day.

I'd just like to know if you think there is the same (or similar) potential for closer grip bench press? People like KK have done close to 600's but obviously he's at the upper end of the scale. I have dislocated my shoulder 16 times in various ways but i can still bench to some extent (3 x 405 with maddog slingshot). Ultimately i want to get in the mid 500's, so any advice you can offer would be much appreciated. I have recently started hitting my tri's hard with dips, weighted dips etc, but my range of motion is limited with dumbell flys and things like that.